It’s been a rather strong season for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
Since being inserted into the starting lineup entering Week Nine against the Tennessee Titans, Jones has taken control of the right tackle position and run with it. In recent weeks, Jones moved into the highest-graded rookie offensive tackle slot from Pro Football Focus.
But entering Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, Jones finds himself behind a fellow AFC North rookie offensive tackle in PFF grades.
Jones has the second-highest rookie offensive tackle grade at 63.4 overall from PFF, a tick behind Cleveland’s Dawand Jones at 63.5.
Jones graded out at a 63.5 against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, playing all 71 snaps offensively. But he finds himself behind Dawand Jones after Jones graded out at a 77.8 against the Denver Broncos in Week 12.
“Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but since Jones was inserted as Pittsburgh’s starting right tackle in Week 9, the team’s offensive line ranks 15th in overall grade. Prior to that, the unit ranked 27th. Jones was solid, if unspectacular, in Cincinnati in Week 12,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman writes regarding the Steelers’ rookie. “He struggled in pass protection, allowing a team-high four pressures while losing four other reps. He did, however, make multiple nice blocks in the run game on a day when Pittsburgh racked up 154 yards on the ground. Play calling has been the popular subject lately in Pittsburgh, but it may actually be Jones making a big difference in their offensive production.”
Jones has made a big difference for the Steelers’ offense, especially in the run game.
He’s brought a physical, mauling presence to the group, something the Steelers were missing early in the season. Though he’s playing right tackle instead of left tackle, the position he was drafted to play and where it was believed he would eventually slot in at as a rookie, the Georgia product has adjusted nicely to right tackle and has really come on strong.
There were some struggles in pass protection against the Bengals in Week 12, but he was a force in the run game. That was especially the case on running back Najee Harris’ 20-yard run from the Steelers’ 11-yard line that saw Harris become nominated for Good Morning Football’s Angry Runs for Week 12.
Though it’s unclear if he will remain at right tackle long-term or make the switch back to left tackle in 2024 when the Steelers can better address the tackle position in general, what is clear right now is that Jones is an impact player for the Steelers in the trenches. Pittsburgh is doing a much better job of controlling the game in the trenches over the last month, and Jones has been a major part of that.
